When you envision your college life, your mind probably jumps to all the exciting aspects—new friends, unique learning opportunities, sporting events, clubs, and interest groups. Even with all the upsides of college, you may experience stress during this new phase in life. To optimize your stress management plan for the next four years, consider the following tips for reducing stress as a college student. Your future self will thank you!
Prioritize Your Sleep
Faced with an abundance of new socializing opportunities and academic responsibilities, successful college students must find a balance. Creating a schedule is difficult for some students and can often result in foregoing adequate sleep.
Avoid getting into habits that compromise your sleep schedule. If this means sacrificing that afternoon energy drink or opting out of all-nighters at the library, so be it. Getting appropriate amounts of sleep enables your brain to focus and function as necessary.
Optimize Your Living Situation
Choose Your Roommate Wisely
It might sound ideal to live with your high school bestie, but consider whether you’ll make good roommates. It can be tricky to navigate living situations, so mull over your roommate options long before signing any lease.
Adopt a Cleaning Routine
When you get to college, there are no looming parents to harp on your cleaning tendencies (or lack thereof). This may sound like a perk, but sometimes a parent’s nagging is the only thing that keeps a space in good condition.
Adopt a comprehensive cleaning routine during your first year at college. By regularly cleaning, you’ll acquire good habits and reduce your odds of getting sick from shared spaces.
Consider a Nearby Apartment
Though it’s highly revered in on-screen depictions of college, dorm life isn’t for everyone. If you find yourself overwhelmed with the social aspect of dorms, there’s no harm in moving to an apartment.
When searching for a suitable apartment, you should consider the advantages of renting a utilities-inclusive place. Having utilities included in your monthly rent will nix the complications of finding providers and paying a bunch of separate bills.
Remember To Get Your Body Moving
One of our tips for reducing stress as a college student is to exercise regularly. Don’t worry, you don’t have to become a weightlifting guru or cardio fanatic to appreciate the benefits of moving your body. Take a brief walk around campus or join one of your college gym’s fitness classes to relieve your body and mind of some tensions.